Annapolis man is beaten after surprising a burglar

September 07, 1997|By TaNoah Morgan | TaNoah Morgan,SUN STAFF

An Annapolis man was beaten, tied up and robbed Thursday when he walked into his home and surprised a burglar, county police said.

Robert M. Judge, 56, entered his house near Quiet Waters Park about 2: 30 p.m. and was attacked from behind by a man who beat him on the head with what police believe was Judge's .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol -- the only item stolen from the house.

Judge told police he pleaded for his safety, but the man continued to hit him. The man then took Judge to the living room, tied his hands with electrical cord and ran away.

Judge told officers he spent about 20 minutes undoing the knot, then went to his neighbor's house to call police because he does not have a telephone in his home.

Officers used dogs in an unsuccessful attempt to find Judge's assailant.

Judge was flown by MedEvac helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was treated and released.

County police arrested a 17-year-old Odenton resident on assault charges Thursday after an officer saw him chasing a man with a kitchen knife. The officer used pepper spray to subdue the youth, police said.

John James McGee, 17, of the 1300 block of Chapelview Drive, was charged as an adult with first-degree assault and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure.

Officer Jeff Shelton went to the 1300 block of Chapelview Drive in Odenton to investigate a complaint about a fight involving a knife at about 2: 30 p.m. When he arrived, he saw McGee chasing 18-year-old Richard Harvey, also of Odenton, around the street and swinging a large kitchen knife at him, police said.

Shelton drew his gun and ordered McGee to drop the knife several times. But the youth refused, yelled obscenities at Shelton and approached him several times with the knife raised, police said.

Shelton sprayed McGee with pepper spray, disarmed and arrested him, police said. Later, Shelton learned Harvey may have been among three young men who allegedly went to McGee's house and stood outside yelling obscenities at him until he ran outside with the knife, police said.

A District of Columbia police officer wanted in Anne Arundel County on rape charges turned himself in to his department Thursday, Metropolitan police said Friday.

Thomas C. McCaffrey, 38, was charged with two counts each of rape and sex offense and one count of assault in connection with the beating and rape of a 36-year-old Edgewater woman.

Anne Arundel police said the incident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday in an Edgewater home, but would not give the address. The woman was treated at Anne Arundel Medical Center for bruises to her face and released, county police said.

A spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel Police Department said McCaffrey and the woman knew each other, but would not divulge their relationship for fear of identifying her.

Metropolitan police said McCaffrey turned himself in about 11: 30 p.m. Thursday after he learned Anne Arundel police had issued a warrant for his arrest. He has been placed on administrative leave without pay.